Typographical machine



Nov. 17, 1953 J. c. PLASTARAS TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 16, 1951 INVENTOR. I (/6 /a5zf/a5 NOV. 17, 1953 J PLASTARAS2,659,479

TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINE Filed Jan. 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 4 1 5 V aINVENTOR. k/ZP/asam MN I Patented Nov. 17, 1953 TYPOGRAPHICAL MACHINEJames C. Plastaras, Lynbrook,

N. Y., assignor to Mergenthaler Linotype Company, a corporation of NewYork Application January 16, 1951, Serial No. 206,144

9 Claims.

This invention relates to typographical machines, such as Linotypemachines of the general organization represented in U. S. Letters Patentto O. Mergenthaler, No. 436,532, wherein circulating matrices arereleased from a magazine in the order in which their characters are toappear in print and then assembled in line, after which the composedline is delivered to a vertically movable transporter or first elevatorslidably mounted in a so-called vise frame and operable during a machinecycle, first, .to carry the matrix line downwardly to the castingposition where the line is justified between a pair of clamping jaws andthen, after the casting operation, to raise the line to an upper levelwhere it is transferred from the elevator for distribution.

The vise frame is located directly in front of the casting mechanism andincludes as usual an upright body portion and horizontally disposed capportion, the former being equipped with the line justifying mechanism,and the latter being arranged to accommodate the supporting blocks ofboth clamping jaws as well as certain adjusting devices associated withone of said jaws. At its lower end, the upright portion of the viseframe is hingedly mounted on the machine base so that it may be swungforwardly whenever access to the parts is desired, and a pair offoreand-aft clamping bolts, located respectively near the opposite endsof the cap portion of said frame, are employed to lock the latter in itsnormal or closed position.

Heretofore, these clamping bolts have been mounted for a. limited rotarymovement in screw thread bearings of the vise cap and, at their inner orrear ends, have been formed with laterally oifset segmental ribs whichare adapted, as the vise frame is closed, to enter correspondinglyshaped recesses in fixed banking studs projecting forwardly from themachine frame. In such position of the parts, the offset ribs of thelocking bolts are located in engaging relation to internal shoulders ofthe banking studs and, by turning the bolts counterclockwise in theirthreaded bearings, the ribs will be carried first behind and then intoengagement with the rear face of said shoulders to lock or clamp thevise frame securely in place. At the front, the locking bolts terminatein spaced relation to the vise frame and, to facilitate their rotarymovements to locking and releasing position, each is provided with thecustomary loose lever pin or rod mounted transversely therein and heldagainst escape by collars at either end.

While such devices have been standard equipment of the commercialLinotype machines for many years, they are outmoded, obtrusive andotherwise objectionable, particularly the one located at the left of thevise frame, which is quite conspicuous and has to be deliberatelyavoided by persons passing from the front to the rear of the machine.

The present invention is intended to overcome these and other objectionsand contemplates a pair of improved locking devices including boltsespecially adapted for control by separate handles that normally willoccupy a position out of the way and will also serve adequately andconveniently in opening and closing the relatively heavy vise frame. Tothis end, the improved locking bolts are fulcrumed at correspondingpoints between their ends so that they may be rocked to and from theirlocking position, and the handles which depend from the front ends ofthe bolts are operatively connected thereto by means of integralcam-shaped elements housed in appropriate bearing blocks secured to thevise cap. The arrangement is such that when the handles are pulledforwardly and upwardly, the cam elements thereof rection to rock thebolts out of their engagement with the fixed banking studs and, when thehandles are pushed downwardly and rearwardly, the cam elements will beturned in the opposite direction to restore the bolts to their lockingposition. The exact construction of the parts and the manner in whichthey function will be more clearly understood from the detaileddescription to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention has been shown merely inpreferred form and by way of example and therefore is not limited to anyspecific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations arespecified in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the vise frame and associated parts,showing the present improvements applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken transversely through the vise cap,showing one of the improved locking bolts and its control handle innormal position;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in theirinactive position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

The vise frame A (Fig. 1), whereon the first will be turned in one dielevator B is slidably mounted for vertical movement, is disposeddirectly in front of the rotatable mold disk C (indicated in brokenlines) and includes, as usual, the upright body portion A and thehorizontal cap portion A At its lower end, the vise frame A is supportedby means of suitably spaced apart bearing sleeves A upon a fixedhorizontal shaft of the machine base, so that it may be swung forwardlyfrom its normal upright position whenever access to the molds or otherparts of the casting and justifying mechanism is demanded. As best shownin Figs. 2 and 3, the vise frame A is located in its normal position bytwo stationary banking studs D (one only being shown) which projectforwardly from separate parts of the main frame and terminate inengaging relation to the rear face of the cap portion A of the viseframe. Near its opposite ends, the cap portion A is provided with a pairof fore-and-aft locking bolts E extending transversely therethrough andslightly beyond the same so that, as the vise frame is swung rearwardlyagainst the banking studs D, the contiguous ends 6 ofthe bolts areadapted as usual, and for reasons presently to be pointed out, to entercorresponding recesses d formed in the opposing ends of the bankingstuds. However, and unlike the locking bolt ordinarily employed, thebolts E (Figs. 2, 3 and 4), according to the present invention, arearranged in slightly oversized bores A of the vise cap A and, adjacenttheir rear ends, they are formed with notches e which, in the unlockedposition of the bolts shown in Fig. 3, are disposed immediately belowand in engaging relation to overlying internal ribs (1 formed by routingout the upper portions of the side walls of the recesses d in thebanking studs D. vIt may be mentioned in this connection that, prior tosuch routing operation, the recesses d are simply drilled to the propersize and depth to accommodate the cylindrical rear end portions e of thelocking bolts E. As a result of this construction, it is merelynecessary to raise and lower slightly the end portions e of the bolts tocarry the rear wall of the notches e therein to and from a clampingposition directly behind the ribs 11 of the banking studs D. Inproviding for such operation of the locking bolts E, they are formedrespectively between their ends with predisposed eccentric fulcrumcollars E which fit loosely within the bores A in the vise cap A andpermit the bolts to be rocked to their different positions for. thepurpose stated.

For the sake of clearness and since the two locking devices for the viseframe A includin the bolts E, are identical in form and arrangement-theremaining parts of but one of said devices and the manner in which theyare adapted to function need only be described. Accordingly, and tocarry out the invention, the rocking movements of each locking bolt E,is effected by means of a vertically disposed, lever-like handle Fformed at its upper end with an integral camshaped element or headportion F pivotally connected by a cross pin e to the front end of thebolt E. The cam-shaped element F of the handle F (Figs. 2 and 3), ismounted for a limited rotary movement in opposite directions in asuitable bearing block G, the latter being secured by a clamping screw Gto the front face of the vise cap A and formed with a rearwardly offsetlocating projection G that fits snugly within the contiguous end of thebore A in the vise cap. A hou n (3 for the block G spaces it. slightlyfrom the vise cap and conceals as well as protects the movable partslocated therein.

The front end portion 6 of the locking bolt E, as may be observed (Fig.2), is centered longitudinally above that of the longer cylindricalportion e thereof so as to be more closely aligned with the notch e atthe rear end of the bolt E and thus minimize the extent of the rockingmovements of the bolt to and from its locking position. It also may beobserved (Figs. 2 and 4) that the front end portion e of the bolt E isrectangular in cross section, and that the associated cam element F andthe bearing block G therefor are formed with open vertical slots orbifurcations f and g, respectively, to snugly accommodate thisflat-sided portion of the bolt. As a result, the bolt E will be properlyguided and sustained against lateral displacement during its rockingmovements by the sidewalls of the slot 9 which, as indicated by thedotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, extends through the projection G of thebearing block G, while the cam element F in turn will be similarlyguided and sustained through its direct connection with the front end ofthe locking bolt E. The cam element F is mounted in a relatively deeprecess G formed in the bearing block G, and its rotary movements todifferent positions therein takes place in opposition to a strongcompressible spring H arranged in the bore A between the projection G ofsaid block and the eccentric collar E of the locking bolt.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cam element F presents a highportion f and two opposed relatively low portions f and f respectively,the former low portion merging abruptly with the outer surface of thehandle F and the latter low portion merging in similar fashion with theinner surface thereof in order to provide corresponding stop corners fand f whereby the swinging movements of the handle in both directionsmay be limited in a manner about to be described. The upper and lowerwalls of'the recess G are formed with horizontal bearing surfaces g and9 while the inner connecting wall thereof is formed with a verticalbearing surface g these three surfaces being so arranged in relation tothe high and low portions of the cam element F as to cause the latter,by operation of the handle F, to positively control the movements of thelocking bolt E to and from its clamping position.

It should now be clear that, as the handle F is swung forwardly andupwardly from its normal position shown in Fig. 2, the high portion f ofthe cam element F first, will be carried out of its engagement with thevertical bearing surface g of the block G, so as to permit the spring Hto move the bolt E slightly rearward, as indicated by the dotted lines,and thus relieve the vise frame of its clamping pressure. Then, as theforward and upward movement of the handle F is continued, the highportion f of the cam element F will engage the lower horizontal hearingsurface g of the block G and thus tilt or rock the bolt E against thetension of the spring H about its fulcrum collar E until the stop cornerf of the handle engages the upper wall of the recess G in said block. Asa result of this operation (see Fig. 3), the engagement of the notch eat the rear end of the bolt E with the rib d1 of the banking stud D willbe broken and permit the vise frame A to be swung forwardly by means ofthe handle F to its open position. At such time, as may be noted (Fig.3), the low portion f of the cam element F will be directly opposed tothe upper horizontal bearing surface 9 of the block G and sustain thehandle F in a desirable position for lifting and pushing the vise frameback to its normal position against the banking studs D.

Finally, and assuming the parts to occupy the position shown in Fig. 3,as the handle F is swung downwardly and rearwardly to restore the bolt Eto its locking position, the high portion f of the cam element F first,will be caused to break its engagement with the lower bearing surface 9so that the low portion f of the cam element F may function, by itsengagement with the upper bearing surface 9 to depress the front end ofthe locking bolt and thus raise the rear end thereof to reestablish itslocking position in relation to the rib d of the banking stud D. Aboutthe same time, the high portion f of the cam element is carried intoengagement with the vertical surface 9 of the bearing block G so that asthe handle F is forcibly pushed rearwardly to the position shown in Fig.2, the high portion of the cam element will have arrived approximatelyat dead center, where it is arrested by the engagement of the stopcorner i with the lower wall of the recess G As a result, the lockingbolt E is pulled slightly forward to clamp the rear wall of the notch etightly against the rib d of the banking stud and thus lock the viseframe securely in its normal upright position.

What is claimed is:

1. In or for a typographical machine equipped with a hinged vise frameand a banking stud for locating said frame in its normal position, alocking device for holding the vise frame against the banking stud, saiddevice including, in combination, a fore-and-aft locking bolt mountedfor pivotal and endwise movement to and from its locking position, arotatable cam element pivoted to the forward end of the locking bolt andformed with two opposed low portions and an intermediate high portion, arecessed bearing block in which the cam element is mounted and which isopen at the front, said block being formed with upper and lowerhorizontal bearing surfaces and with a rear vertical bearing surface forcontact with the rotatable cam element, and a hand lever fastened to therotatable cam element and. operable to rotate it to two differentpositions within the recessed bearing block, said cam element in one ofits rotated positions having its high portion arranged in engagementwith the rear vertical bearing surface of the bearing block and itsopposed low portions in engagement with the upper and lower horizontalbearing surfaces of said block to maintain the locking bolt in itslocking position, and said cam element in the other of its rotatedpositions having one of its low portions in engagement with the upperhorizontal bearing surface of the bearing block and. its high portion inengagement with the lower horizontal bearing surface of said block tomaintain the locking bolt in its unlocking position, the rotation of thecam element from the first mentioned position to the second mentionedposition rocking the looking bolt from its locking to its unlockingposition, and the rotation of the cam element from the second mentionedposition back to the first mentioned position rocking the locking boltfrom its unlocking to its locking position.

2. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the locking bolt iscylindrical and formed adjacent its forward end with an eccentricfulcrum collar fitted loosely within a cylindrical bore of the housingfor the locking bolt.

3. A combination according to claim 2, including a compression springlocated within the bore of the housing for the locking bolt and reactingagainst the eccentric fulcrum collar to bias the locking bolt upwardlyand rearwardly.

4. A combination according to claim 1, wherein the pivotal connectionbetween the locking bolt and the rotatable cam element is located abovethe longitudinal axis of the locking bolt.

5. A combination according to claim 1, including stops to limit therotation of the rotatable cam element in opposite directions.

6. A combination according to claim 5, wherein one of said stops ispositioned to arrest the cam element approximately at dead center whenthe locking bolt is in its locking position.

7. A combination according to claim 5, wherein one of said stops ispositioned to form a rigid connection between the cam element and therecessed bearing block to enable the hand lever to be used as a liftingdevice in lowering and raising the vise frame when the locking bolt isin its unlocking position.

8. A combination according to claim 5, wherein one of said stops isformed by the merging of one of the low portions of the rotatable camelement with the outer surface of the operating hand lever.

9. A combination according to claim 5, wherein the two limiting stopsare formed by the merging of the two low portions of the rotatable camelement with the outer and inner surfaces of the operating hand lever,respectively.

JAMES C. PLASTARAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,485,670 Eigenbrot Mar. 4, 1924 1,553,712 Myers Sept. 15,1925

